Adjustment for driers



L.- B" WEST April 19, 1932.

ADJUSTMENT FOR DR IERS Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application filed October 21, 1930. Serial No. 490,265.

This invention relates to adjustment of driers and has for its object to provide a construction simple in parts and more efficient in operation than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts as will be disclosed more fully hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views, v

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinaLsectional view (somewhat diagrammatic) of a drier to which this invention has been applied;

. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View (somewhat diagrammatic as to the drier per out is contemplated in this disclosure.

' all identical'to the parts similarly se) taken as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the adjusting device; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of of the adjusting device.

In order that this invention may be the betterunderstood it is said that there wasissued to me U. S. Letters Patent N 0. 1,641,108 dated August 30, 1927 for improvements in apparatus for drying and heating material in which there was disclosed a drier of the rotating drum type, particularly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings of said patent.

This drier was supported at a plurality of places upon a pair of roller guides, but difliculty was experienced in a longitudinal creeping of the drier, whereby the seal between the drum and the end of the furnace was affected. This invention resides in a device for adjusting more accurately, and maintaining the adjusted position of, such a drier as disclosed in said patent so that said seal may be retained substantially constant.

The same type of drier shown in said pat- In other words, there is the flue 1 outer and inner drums 11 and 13 respectively, supporting wheels 29 in pairs, drum ring gear 31, and pinion 32 for driving said gear, which are numbered a portion in Fig.1 of said patent and fully described therein.

Externally attached to the outer drum 11 at spaced intervals are circular rails or annular flanges 2 which are preferably rolled from ingot metal but which may be of any other suitable construction and design. .4. These rails are substantially rectangular in their main body portion so as to provide two parallel sides, which lie in transverse planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drier, and a tread portion or surface which is concentric with said axis. The tread surface, as readily understood, will bear against the sur- (fiace of the wheels 29, thereby sup-porting the men .Particularly referring to Figs. 2 and 3, there is shown a suitable base, indicated at 3, for rigidly supporting a casting 4 provided in each end with a bearing for a vertical shaft generally indicated by each shaft being provided with a circumferential groove 6 adapted to be engaged by a set screw 7 which latter passes through thewall of the bearing. The lower end of each.

shaft 5 is provided with a kerf 8 by means of which the shaft may be turned in its bearlng as desired. The upper end of each shaft is provided with an integral extension constituting a pin 9 of reduced diameter which is'eccentrically disposed with relation to the axis of the main portion of the shaft 5. Each eccentric 9 receives a bearing disk such as 14 which is adapted to freely turn on the eccentrio forming its shaft, and the peripheral edge portion of each disk isadapt'ed to enthe numeral 5,

ga e a side of the rail 2. Each disk preferab y is providedwith an extended hub creating an ample bearing surface.

Thus it'will be seen that the two disks may be brought into contact with the sides of one of the rails 2, and then the shafts 5 are turned as found necessary to move the drier longitudinally of its axis either to the left or to the right as seen' in Fig. 1 to obtain the correct relationship between said drier and the flue 1. When the correct position of the drier is obtained the set screws 7 are tightened. Fig. 3 shows the displacement of the rail 2 permitted by the turning of the shafts say under certain conditions,

' said body, saidmeans comprising a of said body, said means comprising a be dis osed in a plane parallel to but to the left 0 the central vertical plane of the drier. The reason .for this displacement is to cause a downward drive on the disks 14 to prevent their climbing up on their pins 9. That is to such as for exam le slight misalignment of the rollers 29, a rier frequently develops in operation a strong tendency to drift endwise thereby imposing a very severe load upon the disks 14. Thus it is importantthat the disks shall have ample bearing surface in contact with their ins 9 to avoid undue heating and wear? Consequently, the disks are provided with extended hubs and, in order that the unrestrained disks may not possibl; climb up wardly upon their pins 9, said isks are offset to the left of the vertical centerline of the drier whereby there is obtained a slight but definite downward drive upon the disks. This offset relationship makes unnecessary any mechanical confinement of the disk upon its supporting pin 9. Naturally, this adjusting and guiding device is applicable to any type of rotary cylindrical drier running u on riding rings such as rings 2 or their li e, and therefore is not confined to such a drier construction as specifically disclosed in my above referred to patent.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction as well as arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit, of the invention, and therei fore it is not desired to be limited to the foregoing except as may be required by the claims.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a rotary cylindrical body havinga circular external flange, of means to adjust the longitudinalposition of disk operating against said flange, said disk mounted on a stub shaft set parallel to a plane in-.

cluding the longitudinal centerline of said body.

2. The combination with a rotary cylindrical body having a circular externalflange,

of means to adjust the longitudinal position isk operating against said flange, said disk mounted on a stub shaft set parallel to a straight line intersecting the centerline of said body.

3. The combination with a rotary cylinlongitudinal of means to adjust the longitudinal position of said body, saidmeans comprising a disk operating against said flange, said disk mounted on a stub shaft set parallel to a plane including the'longitudinal centerline of said body, the stub shaft oflset with respect to the plane opposite the direction of body rotation. 5. A rotatable drier provided with an an nular external flange; and means operating against said flange to adjust the position of said drier longitudinally of its axis, said means including a disk tangentially disposed with respect to said flange, said disk eccentrically mounted upon an axis parallel to a plane including the longitudinal centerline of said drier.

6. A rotatable drier provided with an annular external flange; against said flange to adjust the position 0 said drier longitudinally of its axis, said means including a disk tangentially disposed with respect to said flange, said disk freely rotatable and eccentrically mounted upon an axis parallel to a plane including the longitudinal centerline of said drier.

7. A rotatable drier provided with an annular external flange; and means operating against said flange of said drier longitudinally of its axis, said means including a disk tangentially disposed with respect to said flange, said disk loosely and eccentrically mounted upon an axis parallel to a plane including the longitudinal centerline of said drier, whereby the rotation of said drier exerts a force on said disk preventing its longitudinal displacement with respect to saidaxis.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LAWRENCE B. WEST.

and means operating to adjust the position 

